Nereus gets $20mm in late-stage money from current backers

Nereus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (developing therapeutics for cancer, infectious diseases, and inflammation) has received funding and additional commitments of up to $20mm from current shareholders. HBM BioVentures led and was joined by Alta Partners, Forward Ventures, GIMV, Advent International, Pacific Venture Group, Roche Venture Fund, and Astellas Venture Management. The company will use the funds to continue development of plinabulin (NPI2358), a tumor-selective vascular disrupting agent for patients with non-small cell lung cancer who have not responded to chemotherapy. Nereus recently completed enrollment in a Phase II trial to compare the standard-of-care treatment docetaxel alone and docetaxel with plinabulin. Additional money will be used for marizomib, a second-generation inhibitor of the 2OS proteasome, for multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia.